2016.9.14 Ticket
Organ virtuoso Jean Guillou is visiting Korea to hold a recital at the newly-built Lotte Concert Hall, the country’s first classical music performance hall equipped with a pipe organ, located inside the Lotte World Tower. See MUSIC, left. [LOTTE CONCERT HALL]
JEAN GUILLOU PIPE ORGAN RECITAL
Lotte Concert Hall
Sept. 20: Jean Guillou, who has visited Korea several times to meet with local pipe organ players and instruct students, is making another trip here next week for a recital. He is said to have composed a special piece based on the melody of a Korean folk song.
The venue for the recital is also notable for being the first concert hall in the nation equipped with a pipe organ.
The audience will be able to feel Guillou’s creativity, humor and warmth through his music. The program consists of four pieces, including the self-composed “SAGA No. 4 and No. 6,” Franck’s “Piece Heroique,” Listz’s “Fantasy & Fugue on B-A-C-H” and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.”
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 20,000 won ($18) to 50,000 won.
Jamsil Station, line No. 8, exit 11.
RAINER KUCHL
Yonsei University, Kumho Art Hall Yonsei
Sept. 21: The special concert series Yonsei Classic has been held every month on the third Wednesday since March at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei and has invited a variety of classical musicians. In September, the Yonsei Classic presents Austrian violinist Rainer Kuchl.
Kuchl led the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera for 45 years as concertmaster from 1971, taking up the post when he was just 20. He has performed with renowned maestros including Karl Bohm, Leonard Bernstein and Carlos Kleiber. In 1973, he founded the Kuchl Quartet, presently known as the Vienna Musikverein Quartet.
In August, Kuchl retired from the Vienna Philharmonic, and this will be his first recital in Korea since retirement. Kuchl will perform his favorite pieces by composers from Mozart to Tchaikovsky.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 5,000 won to 40,000 won.
Sinchon Station, line No. 2, exit 2 or 3.
HELLO, ANTENNA
Olympic Park, Olympic Hall
Sept. 23-25: Five years after its last concert, Antenna, the talent agency of singer-songwriter Yoo Hee-yeol, is back with its third big event encompassing various artists from the agency.
Jung Jae-hyung, Lucid Fall, the Peppertones and five other singers will be participating. Yoo himself will perform on stage under the name Toy.
The concert was originally scheduled just for the weekend, but due to popular demand, tickets sold out quickly. As a result, the agency decided to add one more day, Friday.
Under the agency motto “Good People, Good Music,” special collaboration pieces among the artists will be performed.
The concert starts at 8 p.m. on Friday, 6 p.m. on Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets range from 99,000 won to 132,000 won.
Olympic Park Station, line No. 5, exit 3.
Mapo Art Center, Art Hall Mac
Nov. 10: After a sensational recital together in 2013, violinist Clara-Jumi Kang and pianist Son Yeol-eum return with another concert, this time centered on their recent album recorded in March at Beethoven Hall in Hanover, Germany.
Kang is a gold medal laureate of the 2010 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Son garnered attention when she performed as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic in 2004. In 2011, she won silver at the International Tchaikovsky Competition.
The concert program includes the music of Johannes Brahms, Clara Wieck Schumann and Robert Schumann.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 50,000 won.
Daeheung Station, line No. 6, exit 2.
KWAK SE-HYUN DOUBLE BASS RECITAL
Kumho Art Hall
Sept. 25: It is rare to find a talented female double bassist in Korea like Kwak Se-hyun. After graduating from Seoul National University, she went straight to the University of Texas at Austin and recently returned to her motherland with a Ph.D. in music.
To celebrate her comeback, Kwak is holding a recital at Kumho Art Hall in central Seoul. The program includes Bach’s “Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major,” Hindemith’s “Sonata for Double bass and Piano” and Proto’s “A Carmen Fantasy for Double Bass and Piano.” Kwak will be accompanied by pianist Park Cho-rong.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets cost 10,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 7, or Gyeongbokgung Station, line No. 3, exit 7.
[THEATER]
Seoul Arts Center, Opera Theater
Sept. 23-27: Mozart’s seminal opera is back with its cheerful and emotional air that transcends generations. The simple and friendly melodies, forming a harmony with deep religious music, will once again let the audience savor the colorful beauty of opera.
Known to be Mozart’s last opera, “The Magic Flute” is acclaimed by later composers as perfect in musical composition, a magnum opus that encapsulates the composer’s genius and musicality.
This year’s show is drawing much attention with its distinguished vocalists. World-renowned tenor Kim Woo-kyung, who has been well-received at the world’s top opera theaters including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House in London and La Scala in Milan, will be taking on the main role of Tamino.
Performances start at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
There are no shows on Saturday and Monday.
Tickets range from 10,000 won to 150,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal, line No. 3, exit 5.
SWEENEY TODD
Charlotte Theater
To Oct. 3: People in Korea often go see horror movies to escape the hot weather, but one musical is trying to lure people into the theater as well.
“Sweeney Todd” tells the story of a barber who, with the help of accomplice Mrs. Lovett, attempts to get revenge on the fiendish Judge Turpin.
The musical gained popularity on Broadway after its world premiere in 1979 and has been remade over the years, winning multiple Tony Awards.
The star-studded cast of this production includes Jo Seung-woo and Yang Jun-mo as Todd, as well as Ock Joo-hyun and Jeon Mi-do as Mrs. Lovett.
The show starts at 8 p.m. on weekdays; 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.
Tickets range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won.
Jamsil Station, line No. 2 and No. 8, exit 3.
ROMEO AND JULIET
Seoul Arts Center, Opera Theater
Oct. 22-29: Next month, the Universal Ballet will perform the Kenneth MacMillan (1929-92) version of “Romeo and Juliet.” Completed in 1965, it was the choreographer’s first three-act ballet. MacMillan’s version of “Romeo and Juliet” is well known for its flamboyant choreography.
Alessandra Ferri, former principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, and Herman Cornejo, current principal dancer, will be coming to Korea to take the stage on Oct. 23 and 26.
The ballet’s first act displays the masquerade, the threshold of the tragedy; the second features the balcony scene pas de deux; and act three opens in Juliet’s bedroom, heading for the famously tragic ending.
Performances start at 8 p.m. on weekdays; 7 p.m. on Saturday; and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday.
The performance on Oct. 29 starts at 3 p.m.
There are no shows on Mondays.
Tickets range from 10,000 won to 120,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5.
KINKY BOOTS
Blue Square, Samsung Electronics Hall
To Nov. 11: The Korean production of the popular Broadway musical “Kinky Boots” is being staged for the second time with some new cast members including veteran musical actor Chung Sung-hwa as Lola, the drag queen.
This award-winning musical, based on the 2005 film of the same name and featuring music composed by pop icon Cyndi Lauper, is co-produced by Korean entertainment giant CJ E&M. The local producer requested audiences “come to the show adorned in something red so that everyone can be a part of the show and have a little fun.”
Some new cast members include Kim Ho-young and Lee Ji-hoon, who will be alternating the role of Charlie, and actress Kim Ji-woo, who’s been cast to play Lauren, a factory worker.
The show starts at 8 p.m. on weekdays; 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays.
There are no shows on Mondays.
Tickets range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won.
Hangangjin Station, line No. 6, exit 2.
[TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE]
JANG SA-IK SORIPAN
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Grand Theater
Oct. 5-7: Gugak (traditional Korean music) artist Jang Sa-ik is giving his first performance after having surgery on a lump on his vocal cord. As his expertise lies in pansori, or traditional narrative singing, the singer has to project as loud as possible while being precise in pitch at the same time.
The title of the performance, “Like a Flower, Like a Tear,” is from a poem written by Kim Chun-su.
In a letter Jang wrote while he could not sing, he was full of tears, and now finally, he feels like a flower after being able to sing again.
Beginning with this show in Seoul in October, Jang plans to perform in seven other cities. It is a new beginning for his singing career.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 120,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 8.
SCENT OF INK
National Theater of Korea, Main Hall Hae
Oct. 6-8: Tradition meets modernity with “Scent of Ink,” which offers a whole new perspective on Korean dance. The performance expresses the spirit of scholars by focusing on four men who feel as if they are in an ink painting.
The group will perform a representation of the four seasons through traditional dance, while adding in modern elements to counter the impression that the old is inherently stuffy or antiquated.
The show starts at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; and 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Tickets range from 20,000 to 70,000 won.
Dongkuk University Station, line No. 3, exit 2 for the shuttle bus, or bus No. 02 or 420 to the National Theater of Korea bus stop.
[FESTIVAL]
GRAND MINT FESTIVAL 2016
Olympic Park, 88 Jandi Madang
Oct. 22 and 23: The Grand Mint Festival, which offers a combination of music and nature, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Fifty artists will perform across four stages, including famous indie musicians like 10cm, Daybreak, Kwak Jin-eon and Broccoli. Attendees can also participate in various attractions.
Entry will be free for fans who have attended every year thus far, and they will also receive a special gift.
The festival starts at 12 p.m.
One-day passes cost 99,000 won, and a two-day pass is 158,000 won.
Olympic Park Station, line No. 5, exit 3, or Mongchontoseong Station, line No. 8, exit 1.
*Event information collected from the Korea Tourism Organization. Tickets are available at ticket.interpark.com/global or by calling 1544-1555.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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